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My Hooptie Ride

I must admit…I don’t name my cars. I never have. Even when I got a car on my 16th birthday. It was a sweet silver Mercury Cougar 1984. Many called it the silver bullet, but that wasn’t its name, not by me anyway. It was just my car that I dinged wrecked too many times to count.

Since then, I’ve had a red Eagle Talon, a green Neon, a white Plymouth Breeze, and a champagne Nissan Pathfinder (10yrs old). I liked all my cars. I did. I just wasn’t creative enough to name them or anything. Maybe I didn’t want to get too attached. I mean, one day, they would become an old used up trade in never seen from again.

But my car now? Well, I love it. It’s a Black Toyota Matrix, after almost five years it has a name. Hooptie. I loooove my hooptie ride. It’s just the right size. It has seen me through thick and thin and many, many moves. My baby even carried a full size filing cabinet, my dogs, kids, co-workers and family. It gets mistaken for an SUV all the time even though it’s only a Toyota Corolla with a hatchback. It’s amazing how much I can pack in there. It’s even good on gas.

The only problem it had? The hubcaps. I kept losing them. Believe me it’s not pretty. Missing a hubcap is like going without shoes and having ugly feet. I kept replacing them with the original factory ones, but eventually another would fall off and they would get harder and harder to find at a cheap price (unbroken that is). I finally replaced them with metal fitting hubcaps. These were the best I could do picking a style.

It took me a bit to get used to them but it was better than shelling out bucks for rims. It was still my beloved. Then, I noticed my poor (plastic) hubcaps were missing a bolt. A fake bolt at that. The horror!

Now according to urban dictionary – a hooptie is a clunker. I don’t think my ride is a clunker by any means, but definitely the hubcaps were hooptie. I guess that fits in a way, but really it’s a very nice car. Hooptie just became my endearing term for a car that I’ve grown attached to and been through many miles with in the last five years.

As Sydney approaches sixteen (FIVE DAYS), we had to figure out what wheels she would drive. I didn’t want to buy her a “true” hooptie unless that’s what she really wanted and definitely not a new car. NO WAY. She needed a first car that was reliable but not a lot of money. The only thing that made sense was to give her my car (almost paid for) and I would get a new(er) car. Of course she thinks THAT’S totally unfair. I get a new car and she gets a hooptie?

Uh, hello, I’m the MOM here. Now her getting a MOM car and not a teenage car, that I can understand. So I promised her she could pick out new rims and a new stereo. That way my car would be “her” car. During my time off I went to get the tires rotated since the steering wheel vibrated my arms off going 60 on the freeway. Lo and behold the tires were bad. Totally worn out and bald – which is why it shook – and I needed new tires. It seemed a good time for Sydney to pick out rims even though she won’t officially have the car until she returns from Mississippi this summer.

We paged through a large catalog to select the rims and tires. Her choice. Whatever she wanted. I think she did a good job considering she is a girl and neither of us know anything about cars. Now what I forgot was that I would be the driver of a VERY teenage car for the rest of the summer. Oops.

Hey, how would you like to meet my new ride……introducing my pimped out hooptie with new bling to rank it as a G ride. Holla!

Sick, I know (as in crazy, cool). I get a lot of looks and even had someone trying to race me last night. Yeah, I’m poppin’. Look out, here comes the old lady in a Hooptie ride!

Very cool. Ah…if this is your first kid getting a license to drive as a mom of four grown kids all I’ll say is, “this too shall pass and you WILL survive!!” so, enjoy the sanity you have for a few more weeks or months and make an appointment with your doctor to get a heavy dose of tranquilizers and get ready for the ride of your life mom!! happy sits day–cute story by the way.
dianeswords.wordpress.com

I have never even thought of naming any of my cars. When we came to the US I got myself a sports car – a Honda S2000 and when I had to get rid of that because it was not going to accommodate a baby and all the associated paraphernalia I admit I was pretty upset! Somehow my Murano is just not the same!

Angelia…..you are not going to believe this…..A few years ago I was really put out because my Sequoia had to go. Too big too much gas. But then I saw it! Royal blue and anything fit in it. I was even able to fit a string bass in it. I questioned whether it was really a mom car. But no, it was mine, pimped out or no. I made a sticker for the steering wheel bearing it’s name …….. “The Momtrix”.

@Sarah-I was lucky and got my own car but most of my friends got their parents car. Nothing wrong with that (well, unless your 15mos old and have to wait 15yrs for a hooptie,HA). Enjoy the baby years!

@Judie-Hey it looks good for 5 years old doesn’t it? I love this car! I have definitely had them looking, especially right by the high school, thank goodness I had Sydney in the car with me. LOL! Teenage boys are not my thing!

@terre-I know what you mean. Lots of people do. I just haven’t until my hooptie! I am considering a Toyota Rav4, Prius, or another Matrix. As hesitant as she was at first, I think she will love this car. The new stereo and rims will give it a sense of who she is and make it her own.

@diane-Thank you! I know I will need that advice. It is my first and I am SCARED!!! LOL. I totally failed at the practice driving stuff. I’ll be praying and using pills for my sanity. Haha.

@Jane-Oh my gosh! I bet you were. Hey the Murano’s are pretty nice but I know what you mean. You know I bet you could have fit that baby seat in there. LOL. :-)

@Motpg-HA, the Momtrix! Awesome don’t you love it? I just think it’s the best car EVER! It will hold anything. I even got a huge desk in the back. I’m sad to be letting it go. I really am attached.

@Shayna-Yeah, I don’t know where I heard it. It popped into my head. I really thought it meant cool ride but nope it meant clunker. HA. Gotta love Urban Dictionary. Fred is a great name! Too funny!

@Doraz-Yes, busted, we totally have been and I beat that monster truck fair and square. It wasn’t my fault I had to turn. LOL.

@Missy-My top three are the Prius (for the gas mileage), Toyota Rav4, or another Matrix (although my daughter would die-Moooommmm rolls eyes). I have so enjoyed that car, I would not mind another. I think she will love it too.

@Kimmy-Thanks! They are pretty sweet rims. Just a little young for me. ;-) HA.

This seems familiar in some way. Oh yeah……my wife goes jogging in these outfits, and then she likes to report how many waves, shout outs, whistles, etc. she gets. Of course the days she gets none she’s always so disappointed. I said to her, “Honey it’s the burbs. It’s OK”

I really like the new look. It’s amazing how much that changed it. I’d have never thought! Tell Syd Congrats on her pimpin new ride!

I usually don’t name mine either but finally about a year ago with urgings from #3 I finally named by 10 year old car…. Baby J. when my husband asked why baby J I was like “Duh, it’s a Jetta” I’m not very original.

I’ve never named a car before, but I know so many people who have! That was so nice of you to let your daughter pick out the new rims! It looks nice. I bet it’ll make it feel more like hers once she gets it.

hahaha, getting attention now your CAR is looking sazzy.
Might try that one myself just to feel 16 again, however it might not feel good to see the looks of disappointment when I get our of the car. Better get a new haircut I reckon :) xox Wilma

I love it! Laughed hysterically at lots of parts of this post. I’ve had several cars too, including a sweeeet Toyota Corolla hatchback (1987) with a white body and a blue hatchback door. That one was affecionately named “Blue Back Bob”:)

Very funny! All that new language to soak in.
I guess I am really getting old and not fresh with the new styles, I liked the look of the old hubcaps better than the black rims. Although rims are better to have.

Somehow I missed out on this tradition of handing down cars to the next generation. When I left home, my dad still didn’t have his licsense!

My husband went into his SECOND midlife crisis several years ago and bought himself a little BMW convertible. I was shocked and none too pleased. He had it for quite a while. I never drove it. I called it “That Silly Little Car.”

Lovin’ your hooptie ride…fo sho. (Did that sound gangster? No?) Unfortunately, I’m thinking my 1997 Honda Accord could actually now be classified as “hooptie”. The driver’s side door handle has broken off and I’m one or two weeks away from working out my inner “Daisy Duke” and jumping out the window.
Your hooptie looks a little more reliable. :)
Mindyhttp://www.thesuburbanlife.com